Skip to main content

Gujarat Dalit youths to pledge: Wouldn't ever abandon our mothers like those who send cows to shelter homes

By Our Representative
In a clear message to cow vigilante groups, around 1,000 Dalit youths plan to garland their mothers in Rajkot, Gujarat, declaring that, to them, the women gave birth to them, are their only mothers, and that they would not abandon them like those who consider cow as their mother.
Pledging never to send their mother to the old age shelter homes, treatment meted out to commercially unviable cows, these youths would seek the support of participants in a rally on August 31 in Rajkot, who will come from 16 Indian states, to ban on the “unlawful” activities of cow vigilantes, who are “not registered” under any statute, even as preparing a dossier, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to initiating criminal proceedings against them.
They would further to walk on the path of Lord Buddha’s teachings, which consider all human beings, irrespective of caste or creed, as equal. The pledges are proposed to be taken at a national gathering organized under the platform, United Dalits of India, in Rajkot on August 31, 2016.
  Talking with Counterview, top Gujarat-based Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, one of the two chief organizers, said, “The program is not organized by any one individual or an organization; rather it is supported by several organizations and individuals committed to the annihilation of caste and promotion of equality.”
The other main organizer is former BJP Dalit MLA from Rajkot, Siddharth Parmar, who resigned from BJP in 2007 along with six others after sharp differences with Modi, then Gujarat chief minister.
To be held at the Choudhary School compound from 1 pm to 4 pm, the top Dalit luminaries to participate include the grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar; Prof Sukhadeo Thorat, former Chair, University Grants Commission, and present chair, Indian Council of Social Science Research; and octogenarian Baba Adhav, who spearheaded the popular agitation in Maharashtra, Ek Ganv, Ek Panghat (one village, one source of water).
“Dalits, tribal and members of the marginalized communities will participate from various states of India”, Macwan said, adding, “The aim of the gathering is to send the message across that it is only through united effort of Dalits and associates that the issue of rampant caste atrocities and violation of their constitutional rights can be effectively addressed.”
“The gathering would call upon Dalits to commit their primary loyalty to their community in the spirit of the Ambedkarite struggle for separate electorate and the loyalty to their political parties thereafter”, Macwan said.
He added, “The gathering would highlight issues reasons behind atrocities on Dalits such as the one at Una on July 11, which are –non-implementation of land reforms, reservation policy, minimum wage legislation etc.”
Other demands to be put forward, Macwan said, include the call for “immediate rehabilitation of the traditional occupant of handling carcass by rewarding them 5 acres of agricultural land each, to extend the reservation policy to the private sector, and providing free higher education, both private and public, free to Dalits, tribals and other backward classes (OBCs).”
“The gathering would bring together the experiences of discrimination suffered both by Dalits and tribal communities in spite of seven decades of national independence”, Macwan said, adding, “It will call on the Central government to publish a black paper on the progress of 69-year-old independent nation in bringing to an end the practices of untouchability.”

Comments

TRENDING

'Draconian' Kerala health law follows WHO diktat: Govt readies to take harsh measures

By Dr Maya Valecha*  The Governor of Kerala has signed the Kerala Public Health Bill, which essentially reverses the people’s campaign in healthcare services in Kerala for decentralisation. The campaign had led to relinquishing of state powers in 1996, resulting in improvement of health parameters in Kerala. Instead, now, enforcement of law through the exercise of power, fines, etc., and the implementation of protocol during the pandemic, are considered of prime importance.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Bihar rural women entrepreneurs witness 50% surge in awareness about renewal energy

By Mignonne Dsouza*  An endline survey conducted under the Bolega Bihar initiative revealed a significant increase in awareness of renewable energy among women, rising from 25% to 76% in Nalanda and Gaya. Renu Kumari, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Nalanda, Bihar, operates a village eatery that serves as the primary source of income for her family, including her husband and five children. However, a significant portion of her profits was being directed toward covering monthly electricity expenses that usually reach Rs 2,000. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Work with Rajasthan's camel herders: German scientist wins World Cookbook Award 2023

By Rosamma Thomas*  Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are the only awards for international food culture. This year, German scientist  Ilse Kohler Rollefson , founder of Camel Charisma, the first of India’s camel dairies, in Pali district of Rajasthan, won the award for her work with camel herders in Rajasthan, and for preparing for the UN International Year of Camelids, 2024. 

Why is electricity tariff going up in India? Who is the beneficiary? A random reflection

By Thomas Franco*  Union Ministry of Power has used its power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to force States to import coal which has led to an increase in the cost of electricity production and every consumer is paying a higher tariff. In India, almost everybody from farmers to MSMEs are consumers of electricity.

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

'Pro-corporate agenda': Odisha crackdown on tribal slum dwellers fighting for land rights

By Our Representative  The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), even as condemning what it calls “brutal repression” on the Adivasi slum dwellers of Salia Sahi in Bhubaneshwar by the Odisha police, has said that the crackdown was against the tribals struggling for land rights in order to “stop the attempts at land-grab by the government.”

Deplorable, influential sections 'still believe' burning coal is essential indefinitely

By Shankar Sharma*  Some of the recent developments in the power sector, as some  recent news items show, should be of massive relevance/ interest to our policy makers in India. Assuming that our authorities are officially mandated/ committed to maintain a holistic approach to the overall welfare of all sections of our society, including the flora, fauna and general environment, these developments/ experiences from different parts of the globe should be clear pointers to the sustainable energy pathways for our people.